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More Than 15 Billion Passwords are Circulating on the Dark Web
The following is reprinted from MYKI:
By now, we’re all aware that the Dark Web is full of stolen passwords, but new data revealing how many there actually are floating around on there should be a wakeup call.
Over the course of two and a half years, researchers at Digital Shadows have been investigating how cybercriminals go about taking over online accounts to sell access to them. As it turns out, it’s never been easier for them.
Billions and billions of passwords
According to the recently published findings, there are more than 15 billion credentials in circulation on the Dark Web, up by 300% since 2018 and coming from 100,000+ discrete breaches.
The bulk of these credentials belong to consumer accounts, some of which are just given away for free. The fact that these breached accounts are shared so frequently indicates that the users they belong to are not even aware that they’ve been hacked, otherwise they would have already changed their passwords.
Out of all those billions of usernames and passwords floating around on the Dark Web, only 5 billion were found to be “unique” and not have repeated credential pairs. In other words, only 5 billion of those passwords weren’t reused across multiple accounts.
These unique accounts with passwords that can’t easily be guessed are where the money’s at. Bank login credentials were found to sell for the highest value, at an average price of $70.91, while credentials for antivirus software accounts came in second at $21.67.
The password problem
All these account takeovers are only possible thanks to a handful of bad password habits that a lot of people out there just can’t seem to kick.
Setting weak passwords for accounts and reusing the same password across multiple accounts make it easy for a cybercriminal to figure out these passwords via brute force or credential stuffing attacks.
In some cases, the passwords people could have already been strong and unique, but got compromised in a data breach and were never changed afterwards.
The password solution
The best and easiest way to ensure that you’re practicing good password hygiene is by using a password manager.
The MYKI password manager and authenticator allows you to generate strong and unique passwords for each of your online accounts and securely store them on your own devices. You can also use MYKI’s free Was I Hacked? tool to check if any of your accounts have been compromised in any data breaches and give them new passwords.
Contact CPI Networks today to get your MYKI password management account and start taking control of your digital identity. Call CPI Networks today at (416) 645-2469 or (905) 667-0441 or email us.
Want to be notified when our next blog is posted, sign up here.


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The Boston Globe reported today that the Massachusetts economy is growing faster than the national economy.
"The Massachusetts economy, boosted by demand for technology products, grew twice as fast as the national economy in the third quarter, according to figures released yesterday by the US Department of Commerce and the University of Massachusetts.
The state's economy expanded at an estimated 3.4 percent annual rate in the three-month period ended Sept. 30, compared with 1.6 percent nationally, UMass said. In the previous quarter, the state economy grew at a 3.6 percent annual rate, compared with 2.6 percent nationally."
Governor Romney will probably use this report to demonstrate his effective management of the economy. Also, he will put it in his list of accomplishments as governor of the Commonwealth.

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- Bitcoin Price: £339.30 (via CoinDesk.com)
Bitcoin has rounded off a relatively stable week with little change to its value in the last 24 hours.
In contrast, privacy-focussed darkcoin has seen a dramatic turnaround of fortunes following a tumultuous week of tumbling prices, leaping in value by 66% to take its value back up above $10.
This shift sees darkcoin return to the number three spot in terms of market capitalisation, beneath only bitcoin and litecoin.
Dish accepts bitcoin
US satellite service provider Dish Network is set to become the world's largest company to accept bitcoin, a post previously held by online retailer Overstock.
The company currently supplies around 14 million households with satellite TV and will begin accepting bitcoin payments in the third quarter of this year.
"We always want to deliver choice and convenience for our customers and that includes the method they use to pay their bills," said Dish COO Bernie Han.
"Bitcoin is becoming a preferred way for some people to transact and we want to accommodate those individuals."
World's first decentralised bitcoin exchange
An open-source, decentralised bitcoin exchange algorithm called Coinffeine is being developed by a team in Spain in an effort to truly decentralise the bitcoin ecosystem.
While bitcoin and other altcoins are decentralised currencies, the exchanges through which they operate are entirely centralised.
"Our approach is to have zero trust on the actual exchange," Ximo Guanter, one of the developers of Coinffeine told CoinDesk.
"Users are always in control of their money, both the bitcoins and the local currencies, dollars, euros or whatever. We are completely decentralised."
Bitcoin miners available at Walmart
Bitcoin mining hardware has become available for sale through US mega-retailer Walmart, signalling the cryptocurrency's continued foray into the mainstream.
The Butterfly Labs bitcoin miner is available online for $300, however only offers a 10GH/s processor - a relatively small size considering the increased difficulty in mining bitcoin.
At the current exchange rate and cost of electricity, buyers would expect to break even in about 30 years.


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Exclusive Interview with SLANG Worldwide CEO and President Chris Driessen
Chris Driessen recently stepped up as the new President and CEO of cannabis CPG company SLANG Worldwide (CSE: SLNG) (OTC: SLGWF), with Peter Miller becoming Chairman. We had interviewed Miller at the beginning of 2019, ahead of the company listing on the CSE. Driessen spoke with New Cannabis Ventures about his new roles, SLANG’s important markets and plans to achieve profitability. The audio of the entire conversation is available at the end of this written summary.
Changing of the Guard at SLANG
Before entering the cannabis space, Driessen worked with a number of Fortune 500 companies. He came to SLANG when it acquired Organa Brands in 2019. His experience with the SLANG business model, track record of execution and his ability to drive profit make his new leadership roles a natural fit. The company started the planned leadership transition process back in the third quarter of 2019, according to Driessen.
Driessen’s main goal at the helm of the company will be to reach profitability on a consolidated basis, something that he has done many times in his career. SLANG will achieve that goal by expanding its brand presence across multiple markets while preserving capital.
SLANG co-founders Peter Miller and Billy Levy remain involved in the company’s day-to-day, according to Driessen. He also highlighted COO John Moynan and CFO Mikel Rutherford as important members of the leadership core.
The SLANG Network
SLANG generates revenue in three distinct ways. First, the company makes money through its core market operations. Second, it makes money through its strategic partnership model by licensing brands and providing strategic value-added services. Finally, it has an e-commerce channel .
Colorado and Oregon are the company’s core markets. Here, SLANG and its partner companies are licensing and providing support to bring brands to market and manufacturing, distributing and wholesaling.
The company is in an additional 10 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, which are considered emerging markets. SLANG enters its emerging markets with proven operators. For example, SLANG is in the Florida market via a partnership with Trulieve. It has entered into strategic partnerships in Michigan with Gage Cannabis, in Ohio with Standard Wellness and in Oklahoma with Elite Cultivation. Elite Cultivation has a strong background in manufacturing and distribution, making it an ideal partner for SLANG in the exciting Oklahoma market.
SLANG has also entered into a partnership with Cookies, which allows it to expand its product offerings in the flower category in Colorado and Oregon.
The SLANG network spans across almost 3,000 non-dispensary brick and mortar stores and more than 1,000 dispensaries. It sells non-THC products through its e-commerce platform, which builds brand loyalty with consumers and creates a foundation for offering those same consumers THC products once that is allowed.
House of Brands Strategy
SLANG owns brands, acquires brands and works with brands through its strategic partnerships, like the one it has with Cookies. These three different buckets help to build the company’s diversified house of brands strategy.
The company’s house of brands spans a wide variety of categories, including vape, edibles, concentrates, pills and flower. Within each of those categories, it also offers different segments ranging from value to premium products. This diversification has helped the company weather challenges like the vaping crisis and the pandemic.
SLANG’s O.PenVAPE is a top-selling vape brand, and late last year, the company was disproportionately affected by the vaping crisis, according to Driessen. But, the company’s portfolio is diversified through products like District Edibles and more recently the Cookies brand.
Likewise, the pandemic has presented a challenge. SLANG’s products are heavily distributed in the tourist areas of Colorado. But, the company’s broad scope of offerings has proven to be critical. In a time when people’s buying habits are changing due to cash concerns, SLANG is there to offer value products.
Although the company has not been immune to the challenges of the pandemic, it is still growing with its recent market expansion into Michigan and Oklahoma. Driessen is confident in the company’s versatility and ability to weather these kinds of challenges.
SLANG is in the process of acquiring Lunchbox Alchemy, a top edibles brand in Oregon. Going forward, it will look at potential M&A on a case-by-case basis. Driessen is taking a balanced approach to growth, considering acquisitions and organic growth depending on the circumstances.
A Capital-Light Model
SLANG has a strong, clean balance sheet with the cash available to execute its strategic plan, according to Driessen. The company had its first cash-flow positive month in June, and it is steadily moving toward its goal of profitability on a consolidated business.
The company has been mindful of its cash, which means it hasn’t had to take financing options out of necessity, according to Driessen. The company intends to continue growth with a capital-light model. Generating positive cash flow is the ideal financing vehicle, but Driessen will keep the door open to other conversations. Once SLANG does become profitable, more avenues for financing, with more favorable terms, will likely become available.
Outlook on the Future
The company generated approximately 60 percent gross profit, according to its Q1 financials. Determining a gross margin target can be difficult because the company does so many different things, according to Driessen. The profit margin profile is different for its core markets, emerging markets and e-commerce operations. For example, top-line revenue is higher in its core markets, but the profit margin is a bit lower because of the additional operating expenses. When considered together, the company is aiming for 20 percent on the bottom line, according to Driessen.
SLANG’s core markets represent major growth drivers for the company. It has products in nearly 60 percent of stores in Oregon and in close to 300 stores in Colorado. Plus, it has product categories closing in on the top one to three positions, according to Driessen. As the company grows in its emerging markets, Driessen expects similar success.
The pandemic remains an uncertain factor for the future, but the company is pushing forward through the unknown. SLANG is focused on integrating acquisitions and consolidating its supply chain while looking at opportunities like the Canadian market. SLANG recently received a wholesale license through its minority interest in LP Agripharm in Creemore, Ontario. The company is closing in on profitability, and it will continue to execute on its capital-light model and grow its house of brands.
To learn more, visit the SLANG Worldwide website. Listen to the entire interview:
Get ahead of the crowd by signing up for 420 Investor when it becomes available again. It’s the largest & most comprehensive premium service for cannabis investors since 2013.


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County Lags Behind WNY In Sales Tax Receipts
Internet sales are driving higher sales tax revenue in Chautauqua County, but the county’s sales tax receipts are lagging behind the rest of Western New York.
A report released Wednesday by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli shows Chautauqua County’s third quarter sales tax receipts increasing $600,000, or 2.9% from the third quarter receipts in 2019 while Cattaraugus County’s third quarter receipts increased $500,000, or 6.4%. Western New York as a whole saw a 3.7% increase in sales tax receipts, with Chautauqua County’s 2.9% lagging behind the rest of the region.
Sales tax receipts were one of the bigger issues in County Executive PJ Wendel’s proposed budget for 2021. During budget hearings, the Administrative Services Committee originally proposed a $2 million in the proposed sales tax receipts before changing that cut to $500,000.
Legislator Charles Nazzaro, D-Jamestown, said the reason it’s been difficult to predict the sales tax revenue is that in 2019, state law required sales tax on all internet sales. Before this, sales tax collection was only required on businesses that had physical stores in the state. So, for example, walmart.com collected sales tax in New York, however Amazon did not. Now both businesses are required to charge the sales tax.
“This is the big wrench and it’s a positive one because we’re seeing more sales tax,” he said.
New York City’s steep year-over-year decline of nearly 22 percent in sales tax revenue for the third quarter was the main driver behind the overall drop in local government collections. Nearly every other region of the state saw at least some increase over the third quarter of 2019, although these increases were not as strong as in the pre-COVID first quarter.
“The third quarter sales tax figures show a significant improvement from the 27.1 percent decline
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we saw during the second quarter of this year,” DiNapoli said. “Still, collections are down, especially in New York City, and local governments are facing serious fiscal challenges. The federal government must come up with a plan on how it is going to provide financial help to local governments during this difficult time. New York is resilient, but our local governments are hurting.”
Although it is not yet clear what is driving the growth in sales tax collections outside the city, national retail sales increased by 6.4 percent in the third quarter over the same period in 2019, with particularly strong growth in building material and garden centers, sporting goods and hobby stores, and non-store (internet-based) retail.
New York City, however, was hit earliest and hardest by the pandemic, and has continued to have more restrictions on certain activities than other regions. Indoor dining, in particular, did not resume until Sept. 30, but with strict limitations. In addition, consumer spending continues to be weak and international tourism fell sharply over prior years.


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Brazilian beef exports should yield US$ 3.1 billion, up to the end of December this year, which represents an increase in 26% in relation to last year, despite several foot and mouth disease focuses in Brazil, since October.
The information about another record year for the Brazilian beef industry was released today by the Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association (Abiec) chief, Marcus Vinícius Pratini de Moraes. Brazil carries on as world leader in the product’s exports in terms of volume.
From January to the 18th of December this year, the country exported 2.29 million tons of beef to 176 countries. During the first eleven months in 2005, Russia was the greatest importer of Brazilian beef, with sales of US$ 530.4 million. Egypt came in second, importing US$ 223.8 million.
The Brazilian food industry is doing well. As well as the country currently being one of the greatest consuming markets in the world, Brazil has the potential to increase productivity and grow even more in the foreign market.
"We will be the world’s barn," stated recently the president of the Brazilian National Union of the Animal Feed Industry (Sindirações), Mario Sergio Cutait.
According to information from the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), it is estimated that today there are about 6 billion people in the world, but in 2050 there will be 9 billion. According to Cutait, Brazil may supply the larger part of the food demand created with the population growth.
"We may increase our production. We have earth, water, sun the whole year long and we are a country that doesn’t have agriculture subsidies. We may supply good part of national and world needs at competitive prices," said the Sindirações president.
According to him, Brazil is a very flexible country and may meet the demands by the foreign market and keep costs low. "That is what other countries cannot do and so start placing barriers on our products," he said.
Cutait stated also that the quality of Brazilian products exported is the same as that sold in the internal market and that the greatest regulators of Brazilian products are the demands made by the importers themselves.
One example of this is that Brazil is leader in bovine beef exports. Last year the country exported to 140 countries.
Anba – www.anba.com.br


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BERLIN, Oct. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rogue League of Legends European Championship team today announced that its players will receive innovative gear from Hyperice, a global high-performance wellness brand specializing in percussion, dynamic air compression, vibration, thermal technology, mind technology, and contrast therapy. Rogue players will use the gear to aid in their training and recovery as they compete in the 2021 League of Legends World Championship, enabling them to play longer and harder, to recover better and to do what they love, more.
"We always put the wellbeing of our players first," said Anna Baumann, EVP of Esports at ReKTGlobal — the parent company to Rogue. "The cutting-edge devices and athlete performance programs offered by Hyperice are ideal to combat the soreness, muscle strain, and poor circulation esports players often face at high levels of training and competition. Hyperice's technology perfectly complements our successful high performance framework led and developed by our performance director, sports scientist Ismael Pedraza."
The Rogue players have been excited to integrate the Hyperice gear into their daily routine. Like many sports, esports can be mentally and physically taxing on its athletes, putting them at risk of injury if players don't adhere to strict training and recovery protocols — from using high-quality gaming and training equipment and keeping proper posture to stretching, getting plenty of sleep, and eating a healthy diet. One of the most high-performance teams in the esports world, Rogue was the first to secure their place in the 2021 League of Legends World Championship. The achievement continues a stellar year for the players, who are the number one LEC team in Europe.
"Hyperice works with athletes across the world, so we're pleased to be supporting one of the most competitive, high-performance teams in the esports arena," said Michael Ricatto, Director of Marketing, Europe at Hyperice. "We're excited for Rogue as they face off in this year's Worlds Championship. From each day of training to the moment of competition, we're proud that our products and programs will help these young athletes soar to victory on the biggest stage in League of Legends."
Founded in 2010 by Anthony Katz, Hyperice started as an ice and compression sleeve but has since evolved into a holistic high-performance wellness brand with numerous product lines and categories, including its award-winning Hypervolt, Vyper, Venom and Normatec lines. The new, modern approach allows Hyperice to reimagine its brand identity to better serve a broader audience of athletes and help people everywhere do the things they love, and do it more.
Hyperice recently acquired mental wellness company Core — its third acquisition in 18 months, which will launch globally in 2022. In December 2020, Hyperice acquired Recover X prior to launching its new pinnacle innovation — Hyperice X, the world's first ever portable contrast therapy device.
Originally planned to take place in five cities across China, Riot Games recently moved Worlds 2021 to Reykjavik, Iceland, in the same arena that hosted MSI and VALORANT Masters Reykjavik. The event rotates through different regions every year and hosts different stages of the tournament in cities throughout the host region. One of the most intense tournaments in the world, Worlds fans have watched 160.92 million hours of play and recorded more than 1 billion hours watched.
About Hyperice Hyperice is a technology-driven company with a giant mission, to help everyone on Earth move and live better. For more than a decade, Hyperice has led a global movement at the confluence of recovery and wellness, specializing in percussion (Hypervolt line), dynamic air compression (Normatec line), vibration (Vyper and Hypersphere lines), thermal technology (Venom line), mind technology (Core by Hyperice) and contrast therapy (Hyperice X). Now, as a holistic high-performance wellness brand, Hyperice is designed for all - from the most elite athletes, leagues and teams to consumers everywhere looking to unlock the best version of themselves to help them do what they love, more. Recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2021, Hyperice has applied its technology and know-how to industries including fitness, hospitality, healthcare, massage, physical therapy, sports performance and workplace wellness on a global scale. Hyperice's transformative acquisitions of Normatec, RecoverX and Core have helped to accelerate its innovation agenda as it enters its next stage of global growth. For more information, visit the newly-redesigned hyperice.com.
About ReKTGlobal ReKTGlobal is a cutting-edge digital entertainment organization that helps connect brands with what's now and what's next, from traditional sports and esports to social media, music, and more. With its in-house teams of tech experts designing innovative proprietary platforms, transforming streams into content and ads, and generating analytics – all in real-time – ReKTGlobal is at the forefront of what matters most to Gen Z audiences.
ReKT is the parent company to digitally-native brands including championship esports organizations Rogue and the London Royal Ravens, content creator collectives SwayLA and MADGMR, and the creator economy/NIL monetization app, Fullcube. ReKT is also home to the esports industry's most robust media and marketing agency business, consulting brands, properties, and influencers.


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- New Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Patch has added a highly requested feature by the fans, finally including the black border option, which was lacking after the collection came out.
- The update also brings a slew of improvements and crucial bug fixes alongside many performance improvements to make the venture smoother for the nostalgic fans of the series.
- A “MegaMan Voice” option has been added to the game’s settings. The online battle Custom Screen time limit has also been altered to 30 seconds alongside fixing unnatural NPCs’ behavior.
- All ten mainline titles from the Mega Man Battle Network series are added to the newly released collection. It came out on April 14, 2023, for the PlayStation 4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.
The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection has recently received a new quality-of-life update, and it includes one of the most requested features by enthusiastic and nostalgic fans. Capcom has finally integrated the black border option into the collection alongside other desired features. The update also brings a slew of improvements and fixes to make the overall venture as enthralling as possible for all the titles in the new release.
Alongside the black border option, a “MegaMan Voice” option has also been added to the collection’s settings. The online battle Custom Screen time limit has also been altered to 30 seconds. In-game error messages have been fixed for the traditional and simplified Chinese language. An issue with the WindRack ability has also been fixed that would sometimes occur in online battles against enemies and would push them off-screen.
A quality of life update for #MegaManBattleNetwork Legacy Collection is now available!
☑ Crucial Bug Fixes
☑ 'MegaMan Voice' Option Added
☑ (Black) Border Added
☑ Plus More
— Mega Man (@MegaMan) July 4, 2023
Moreover, unnatural behavior would happen when speaking to certain NPCs after researching Mystery Data, etc., at a certain point in the story; it has also been mended in the new Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection update. The performance drops and unnatural imaging in Drill Camp 4 have also been patched in the new small yet significant update.
The rewards differing because of the chosen languages for completing a virus battle have also been fixed to be the same. Additionally, an issue causing a drop in performance with using certain actions after setting Swordy in a Virus Battle has also been fixed.
The entry has reportedly performed greatly, tugging at the hearts of wistful gamers soon after release to boast a massive number of sales. The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection has reportedly sold over a million copies in less than a month.
The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection was released without the black border option, turning away many gamers due to its necessity. It was unclear why the devs decided to omit the feature, but now it has finally been added in the new patch. All ten mainline games from the Mega Man Battle Network series are featured in the newly released collection. It came out on April 14, 2023, for the PlayStation 4, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.
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STOCK up on Tokara’s wholesome farm-fresh produce and freshly baked goods at Tokara Deli Essentials, open daily for the duration of the lockdown on this landmark Stellenbosch wine and olive estate.
While the normal restaurant and deli operations remain closed, the easing of the restrictions enabled Tokara Deli to open its doors selling essential produce and getting some employees working again.
The delicious assortment on offer includes freshly baked bread, pastries, home-made biscuits and rusks, Tokara extra virgin olive oil, milk, eggs, cheese, charcuterie, sandwiches, coffee beans and hot take away coffee. The essential food items offered will be expanded as more regulars find their way back to Tokara Deli instead of having to go to a supermarket.
“We launched Deli Essentials as a first step of our lockdown offering, while details of a to-go food service and various meal-kit offerings will be announced shortly,” says Wilhelm Kühn, owner-operator of Tokara Restaurant and Deli.
“Almost 80% of respondents of a survey on our planned food delivery service said that they would happily contribute to a support and feeding scheme for those Tokara Restaurant and Deli employees who aren’t able to return to work yet due to the Covid-19 countrywide lockdown. We hope to involve more employees as we initiate various phases of our lockdown strategy and that the generosity of our customers would further help to alleviate the plight of those who are languishing at home.”
Visitors to Tokara Deli Essentials during the Covid-19 lockdown, may rest assured it is maintaining the highest level of hygiene measures to ensure the health and safety of customers and staff members. Strict conditions, including the wearing a face masks and complying with social distancing guidelines are mandatory for anyone entering Tokara Deli Essentials. The temperature of all customers will be checked with a no-touch infrared thermometer at the entrance where hand disinfectant will be available. Disinfectant wipes will also be available at the pay-point. No hot meals will be available and no inside or outside seating is provided. The Tokara Deli Playground remains closed to the public.
Tokara Deli Essentials is open seven days a week from 7am till 3pm for take-away purchases only. Call 021 808 5950 or email [email protected] for further details.


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NEW YORK — PhenoBiome said on Thursday that it has signed a nonexclusive US distribution deal for its direct-to-consumer GxGutHealth gut microbiome assay service with Genetic Direction.
According to PhenoBiome, GxGutHealth assesses an individual's gut microbiome and provides a report that can guide behavioral and other health interventions to improve gut health. The assays are processed by Eurofins subsidiary Clinical Enterprise.
On its website, PhenoBiome says its platform converts taxonomic signatures from 16S sequence data and gene lists into microbiome-wide quantitative functional capabilities. It deduces metabolic phenotypes reflecting the presence or absence of a pathway in all microbes from parts lists using a genome-based in silico reconstruction method.
Under the terms of the deal, Genetic Direction, a Dallas-based distributor of consumer genetic testing products, will offer GxGutHealth through its 900 affiliates throughout the US. Additional terms were not disclosed.
"Through more than a decade of research, our science team has identified the specific bacteria that contribute to more than 100 physiological functions in the human body and built a test that provides a complete and accurate picture of an individual patient's gut microbiome," Pavel Novichkov, PhenoBiome's cofounder and chief technology officer, said in a statement.
Palm Springs, California-based PhenoBiome also said that it has begun collaborating with an undisclosed animal health company to apply its gut microbiome technology to animal health and that it is planning to expand into additional markets including personalized prebiotics, probiotics, and food supplements.


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Payments processing giant First Data Merchant Services and one of its executives will pay $40.3 million to settle allegations that they laundered credit card transactions for scams targeting hundreds of thousands of consumers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said on Tuesday (May 19).
The FTC alleged that First Data ignored repeated warnings from employees, lenders and others that Chi “Vincent” Ko, who ran an independent sales organization affiliated with the company, was laundering payments for clients that were breaking the law.
“First Data is paying $40 million because it repeatedly looked the other way while its payment processing services were being used to commit fraud,” Daniel Kaufman, deputy director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said in a statement. “When companies fail to screen out fraudsters exploiting the payment processing system to steal people’s money, they’re breaking the law and injuring consumers.”
The FTC said that Ko operated First Pay Solutions LLC, an independent sales organization (ISO) affiliated with First Data, from 2012 to 2014. During that time, the ISO allegedly opened accounts under false names, provided Wells Fargo with deceptive information to open accounts and ignored evidence that some clients were engaged in fraud. Ko later joined First Data directly as a senior vice president of strategic partnerships, the agency said.
In 2014, Visa required First Data to return $18.7 million in charges processed by Ko’s ISO and temporarily banned First Data from working with high-risk merchants, according to the FTC’s complaint.
First Data will pay some $40 million of the settlement, while Ko will cover about $270,000. The FTC said it will use the money to provide refunds to consumers allegedly harmed in the case.
First Data, which was acquired by Fiserv Inc. last year for $22 billion, also agreed to screen high-risk clients in the future and implement an oversight program. The company said in a statement that “we remain committed to ensuring that our business partners and merchants operate with integrity, and our enhanced practices will enable us to continue to lead the industry in fraud prevention and business and consumer protection.”
Ko’s attorneys said in a statement that First Pay Solutions “allowed a small number of rogue independent agents to sign up fraudster merchants for credit card processing. … These bad actors operated without Mr. Ko’s knowledge, and many of these agents were convicted based upon the cooperation of Mr. Ko, himself described by the government as a victim in those government cases.”
Ko’s lawyers further said that he “agreed to turn over his entire $100 million First Pay portfolio to First Data in 2014 so that the income could be used to repay consumers harmed by the dishonest activities of these fraudulent agents and merchants.”


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Apple's new iPad mini for 2013 introduces by far the most oft-requested feature that was missing from the original version: a high resolution Retina display for ultra-sharp rendering of text and images. Apple has added that screen without introducing trade-offs in terms of battery life, size (substantial ones anyway) and portability, too.
Apple will be unveiling a new, smaller 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro alongside an iPad mini at a rumored press event next week, according to a growing number of reports, including a brand new one from AllThingsD.
The iPad mini may have a display that’s being singled out in most reviews as being below Apple’s recent standards, but a look under the microscope by Repair Labs affirms what I’ve been noticing in person: while the mini definitely doesn’t offer the same kind of quality as an iPad with Retina Display (3rd or 4th gen), its screen is a big step up from the 2nd-generation iPad.
The MacBook Pro with Retina and 13-inch MacBook Air got some mid-cycle improvements under the hood today, with a new 2.6GHz processor for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, new 2.4 and 2.7GHz processors for the 15-inch version, and 16GB of memory as a top-end spec on the larger Retina model.
Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina Display will soon be just the MacBook Pro, period. But this generation two version of both the 13- and 15-inch super slim notebooks with high-res displays is still something many average users will be weighing as an outlier possibility versus the more mainstream MacBook Air.
The impossible has happened. The 7-inch iPad that Steve Jobs himself spoke against has come to the world in the form of the iPad Mini. In a world where price is ultimately king, can Apple persuade you into buying it’s option for over 50% more than its competition?


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The Pixel 4a doesn’t need 5G, you probably don’t care about Motorola phones that aren’t the Razr, and get ready for the ultimate Chinese app store app collection…. Semicolon… tech podcast producer Adam Doud joins us on the Android Police Podcast. Read More
In fall 2018, Google made its interest in gaming known with Project Stream, a beta that let users play the high-end Assassin's Creed Odyssey from a humble Chrome tab. The following spring, it announced Stadia, a full-fat gaming platform that would leverage the company's computing and networking prowess to provide users access to games with no dedicated gaming hardware required. That service is available now (in a limited capacity), and it's getting a lot of attention — both positive and negative. So what's the deal? Here's everything you need to know. Read More
Following a decade of seeing black, rectangular glass slabs grow in size while swapping their backs between metal and glass, foldables are taking over to become the face of phone fetish. With the nostalgia-invoking Motorola Razr set to go on sale about a week before the Galaxy Z Flip’s unveiling, it’s about time we put the two face-to-face and see which one deserves your dough. Read More
Many people rely on Google Maps not only for its navigation instructions but also for its ability to reroute them to avoid heavily congested areas. However, since Google's mapping service relies on an algorithm making sense of crowd-sourced data, a single actor with many phones can potentially wreak havoc to the geolocation technology. That's the task German artist Simon Weckert took upon himself. He collected 99 second-hand smartphones, started Google Maps navigation on them, and lugged them around his city to generate virtual traffic jams. Read More
Modern digital platforms succeed or fail on the backs of developers. Just ask Steve Balmer. For every Android out there, there was a WebOS. Companies can make it easier or harder to develop for their platforms, but ultimately it's up to the developers to build it so that "they" — the customers — can come. On that note, Google has just announced that developers worldwide have made over $80 billion via Google Play.
In isolation, it's a good number. But compared to the competition, not so much. Read More
People are spending more time on YouTube and that means ad buyers are spending more cash to reach them. It also just so happens that a growing number of viewers are paying to avoid those commercials and even to watch non-YouTube programming. That's the picture parent company Alphabet is painting with its fourth-quarter earnings report. Read More
I'm generally of the opinion that we shouldn't given attention to those who are seeking it for the wrong reasons or under false pretenses, but I just couldn't ignore this story: Escobar Inc. (yes, that Escobar) is now telling consumers that it will sell a very-much-not-a-counterfeit Galaxy Fold for the low, low price of $400.
Let us be clear from the outset: the product pictured on the company's website is very clearly a real, genuine Samsung Galaxy fold covered in a tacky gold vinyl skin with Escobar Inc's logos haphazardly slapped upon it. Let us also be clear that the phone's specs, like the Snapdragon 855 processor, 5 cameras, 7.3" AMOLED primary display, and most others are lifted straight from the Galaxy Fold. Read More
It's been about a week since the last release and another new build of Windows 10 Insider has surfaced, bringing along more goodies for Android and Windows PC users. The newest build — version 18999 — updates the Your Phone desktop app with a new "Calls" feature that allows Android users to make and receive phone calls right from the PC.
Nintendo has revealed that Fire Emblem Heroes will be the next mobile game from the company to receive a subscription pass. Back in November of 2019, Nintendo released two subscription plans for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. It's also worth noting that Mario Kart Tour was released in September 2019 with a monthly subscription in tow. Clearly, Nintendo has realized the amount of money that can be made by stuffing subscription plans into its free-to-play mobile games, and so fans can expect the upcoming $9.49 monthly Feh Pass subscription to arrive in Fire Emblem Heroes on February 5th. Read More
Welcome to the roundup of the new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today I have a quality port of a faithful remaster for the SRPG Disgaea 1, the launch of a stylish and challenging platformer, and an entertaining minimal puzzler that's all about synchronized block movement. So without further ado, here are the more notable Android games released during the week of January 27th, 2020. Read More


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Xie Lan, Journalist of Securities Daily
With the rise of Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, China's semiconductor industry is developing at an unprecedented speed and breakthroughs. Beyond the traditional industrial agglomeration areas of Yangtze River Delta, Bohai Rim and Pearl River Delta, the central and western regions represented by Chengdu are also growing rapidly.
The conference was jointly organized by China Science and Technology Finance Industry Alliance, Zhongguancun Finance Information Industry Alliance (hereinafter referred to as Finance and Credit Alliance), Chengdu Municipal People's Government and Chengdu Shuangliu District People's Government, aiming at promoting the innovation and development of the global semiconductor industry, strengthening the cooperation between core industries and financial institutions, and promoting the upgrading of key technologies and industrial landing.
As the most vigorous central city in the central and western regions of China, Chengdu is speeding up the construction of industrial ecosphere and ecological chain in recent years, and has formed seven hundred billion yuan industrial clusters such as electronic information, automobile manufacturing and equipment manufacturing. Among them, in the field of electronic information industry, Chengdu has gathered well-known enterprises at home and abroad, such as Intel, Qualcomm, Haisi, and a number of locally grown enterprises. Overall, it has formed a relatively complete industrial chain integrating design, manufacturing, packaging, testing and supporting. It has formed a leading advantage in radio frequency microwave, Beidou navigation, Internet, consumer electronics, etc., and its industrial scale is second only to that of other industries. Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen.
At the same time, Zhongguancun Financial Information Industry Alliance and China Construction Bank Sichuan Branch signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The agreement reached a broad consensus on how to better provide high-quality services to members of both sides, including many financial services and preferential policies, such as local and foreign currency cash management, supply chain finance, financial leasing, etc.


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swan machine tool sales,swansmarting,swanson machines source Reddit article Swansmart, the world’s largest manufacturer of swan machines, is bringing swansmart machines back to the Internet.
The swansmachine company, which began in 2005 as a small operation, announced Tuesday that it will open a new location in Los Angeles, California, in October.
The new location will have a dedicated swans machine shop that will feature more than 100 swans machines that will be made and sold by SwansMarting, a subsidiary of the giant appliance maker Staples.
Swansmachine said the new location was chosen due to its large inventory of swans and its location in the heart of the city.
“We’ve always believed in making a sustainable investment in the Swansport brand,” said SwansMachine founder and CEO Chris Lefebvre in a statement.
“With the recent opening of our new location, we feel that our long-term vision of bringing swan and machine technology together is possible.”
The new swansMart machine shop will have more than 60 swans equipment, including swans, swans paddles, swan paddles with paddles and swans wheels.
Lefevre said SwanMachine will sell its swans to a number of clients, including a variety of businesses, including restaurants and movie theaters.
The company has also expanded its Swansmarting-branded swansporting equipment, which include swansharks, swants, swandles, paddlesharks and paddles.
Swansmart will also offer swansmarts, swamisports and swanmachine products.


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Oppo launched the A71 in September last year. It was followed by the Oppo A71 (2018) which the brand unveiled yesterday. But there was no announcement regarding its India launch. As per our industry sources, the brand is set to launch the Oppo A71s in India. It will probably have the same specifications as the A71 (2018) but come with a different name. The phone will be priced at Rs. 9,990 and is scheduled to launch in the next few days.
The Oppo A71s will have a screen size of 5.2-inch with an HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. It will be enhanced with a 2.5D curved glass. However, it might not have any screen protection on top. The phone is likely to come in two different colours: Black and Gold.
In terms of camera, the phone is set to rock a 13-megapixel sensor on the back which will be able to record Full HD videos. It is accompanied with an LED flash to allow better pictures in low-light. On the front, there’s a 5-megapixel sensor to help you click selfies and make video calls.
Talking of the performance, the phone fits a MediaTek MT6750 octa-core chipset. This is coupled with 3GB of RAM to aid in smooth multi-tasking. It runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat layered with Oppo’s custom UI, ColorOS 3.1. Additionally, it has Face Unlock made possible through the software. The phone has got 32GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card.
On the connectivity front, there’s a Micro USB port and a 3.5mm audio jack. It also has 4G VoLTE connectivity, Bluetooth v4.1 and Wi-Fi along with all the basic sensors.


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Macroeconomic data in the first two months of the reopening phase shows that Vietnam’s economy is in recovery, said Kis Vietnam.
Economy at the bottom in 3Q21
Vietnam’s economy experienced the worst contraction on record 3Q21, even far worse than the first outbreak in 2Q20. It fell by 6.17% year-over-year, almost erasing the growth momentum in 1H21, dragging the GDP growth in the first nine months to just 1.43%, also the worst performance of the first nine months on record.
The impact of the most strict social-distancing measures was immense, particularly on the services and construction sectors. Economic activity in these sectors was almost shut down in affected regions in 3Q21, plunging by 9.3% and 11.3%, respectively, translating to a contraction of 3.7% and 1.1% of the overall GDP growth.
The industrial sector, a growth engine of the economy, also faced massive pressure of containment measures placed on production activities. More seriously, at the peak of the pandemic outbreak, the lockdown was causing a broad and serious disruption to the supply chain system across the country. It was the first time that this sector recorded negative growth of 3.5% YoY, further contributing to a 0.8% reduction into GDP’s slump.
Real estate, transportation, retail sales, and construction industries were impacted the most, with the slumps in 3Q21 being at severe levels that were unseen before. Only the financials and agriculture sectors seemed to be not significantly affected during the fourth outbreak.
Recovery in industrial and retail sales
Kis Vietnam said that the V-shaped recovery in the industrial sector would be forming during the first two months of the economic reopening. The appearance of Resolution 128 has relieved tremendous pressure of containment requirements for the production activities. September- October data showed that the industrial sector has been through a resilient recovery shortly after the economic reopening with its production level already surpassing a pre-pandemic level. It is evident that the COVID-19 pandemic just caused a temporary disruption during a lockdown, and this sector is quickly adapting to the new normal.
The recovery in the industrial sector was broad-based and showed a robust strength, beyond Kis Vietnam’s expectation. In a simple analysis, about 90% of 71 level-3 sub-sectors recorded expansion in October, in which the growth pace was from 0% MoM to 30% MoM. Only 1 sub-sector plunged from 30% to 50% MoM, 1 sub-sector dropped from 10% to 30%, and 3 sub-sectors fell less than 10%.
Compared to the pre-pandemic production levels (production level by end-May), 66.2% of level-3 sub-sectors still remained below pre-pandemic levels, in which about 28.2% dropped in a range of 10% – 30% and other 29.6% fell from 0% to 10%. In the group with positive growth, 21.1% and 5.6% of sub-sectors recorded expansion by 0% – 10% and 10% – 30%, respectively.
Meanwhile, retail sales also experienced a similar rebound during the early reopening, although to a lesser extent. Because there are still some containment measures placed on high-risk service activities. In October, the total revenue of the services sector improved by 18.15% MoM to reach VND357.92tn, the highest level since June. From Kis Vietnam’s view, the recovery path of this sector just started, and there would be more evidence on further recovery in this sector in later months. Pent-up demand would be a key to unlocking the full potential of the recovery in this sector in the last two months of 2021, along with the further reopening progress.


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How Fintechs put Nigeria on global map despite economic woes
For half a decade, the financial services sector has changed dramatically, yet it seems to remain hot and evolving. Like a wildfire, what started with e-Tranzact and Interswitch as simple solutions to payment inefficiencies has ballooned into a behemoth, revolutionising different aspects of the financial services sector, including credit, investments and insurance.
Industry sources estimate that Nigerian Fintech companies in 2020 alone raised $439m, an amount said to be equivalent to 20 per cent of the amount raised by all African tech startups. This has led to Lagos, where most of the organisations are based, being called the capital of Africa’s Fintech.
Investors in these companies are not necessarily expecting immediate returns. But there are attractive valuations that suggest rising profitability in the future. For instance, Nigerian Fintech revenue is projected to rise to $543million by 2022, driven by increasing smartphone…


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John Koetsier, writing last week in Forbes, gave the example of Hometalk — a community platform for DIY-ers — who has seen their watch time jump significantly due to their use of live video. Hometalk also noted that half of their viewers (+8 million) regularly watch more than one live show.
As we start 2020 and embrace all of the beautiful, magical tech disruptions in front of us, it's important to understand the full gravity of the tools already at our disposal. While live streaming may have been for early adopters and savvy growth hackers in 2015, it's earned its spot in almost every marketer's regimen in 2020.
Understanding the value of live social videos
People crave the community and reality that live streaming provides. There aren't any scripts or fancy effects. You get to see people and brands interact in meaningful ways without all of the "movie magic."
Live video removes the aura of fake that permeates pre-created content and gives users a chance to really dig deep and connect with brands on an emotional level.
Yes, there are going to be mistakes. And some moments in the stream may be a little boring, but that's okay! There's a reason that Twitch's "IRL" (In Real Life) category draws in hundreds of millions of unique viewers every hour. All of those hiccups, silent moments, and on-the-air mistakes feel real, authentic, and, well, human.
Live streaming in 2020
In 2018, Neilson found that 42% of people had watched live-streamed video content. That same year, Conviva found that live video content rose by 65% — making it the fastest-growing content medium. This growth carried over into 2019, with both Twitch and YouTube experiencing massive growth surges.
In other words, live streaming is bigger than it's ever been. So 2020 should be the year that live streaming gets its place in the marketing playbook.
So, let's put this all together. Live videos hold consumers' attention longer, keep them more engaged, influence their purchasing behaviors, and help them connect with brands on a deep, emotional level.
So, why (according to MediaKix) are only 35% of marketers actually using them?
Why live streaming matters for marketers
We're starting to enter a dangerous territory with live streaming. It's no longer the differentiator. Most brands should have a live streaming strategy today. This isn't cool, future tech that you can ignore while it goes through its awkward stages — it's a necessity. Live streaming matters in 2020.
Facebook, YouTube, IG, and Twitch all have solid, user-packed live streaming capabilities. Twitter is entering the fray this year as well. You have plenty of choices when it comes to where you want to live stream. The important thing is that you do live stream. It's not even expensive or time-consuming. There's free software you can use to stream on Facebook, and live videos are far cheaper than traditional edited video content.


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Buvaliwe – the sale of alcohol is suspended again in South Africa. This comes after a two-month ban on the sale of alcohol that was originally lifted on 1 June, prompting people to line up outside liquor stores in numbers. South Africa is among the top five countries in the world that has the highest consumption of absolute alcohol per drinker anually, the second-highest category of harmful patterns of drinking and the highest category in the past year for heavy episodic drinking.
The government has made an excellent decision to ban the sale of alcohol. Since the alcohol ban was lifted from 1 June, hospitals have experienced a spike in admissions in their trauma and emergency wards, putting additional strain on already limited healthcare resources. The focus is now on fighting to combat the spread of the Covid-19, not people who are drinking alcohol recklessly and end up in hospitals due to accidents.
Most South Africans breach lockdown regulations when they are under the influence of alcohol. Over the past month, since the sale of alcohol was reinstated and restaurants reopened, many South Africans continued life as it was pre-lockdown. Another negative externality associated with alcohol consumption in South Africa is gender-based violence (GBV). For example, women with male partners who come home drunk frequently are 4 to 7 times more likely to suffer GBV attacks. Many people organised parties, dinners, and social gatherings, despite these actions being outlawed by lockdown regulations. The alcohol ban, in hindsight, should not have been lifted until the number of Coronavirus cases dramatically decreased.
Now that it is back in place however, the alcohol ban will inevitably cost more jobs. The hardest hit will be a significant number of smaller retailers and taverns. The government must include them in relief funds awarded to other small business owners. During the 9-week lockdown, the alcohol industry lost R18bn in revenue and the government R3.4bn in excise tax revenue which it collects on sold liquor that is regulated. Without regulations in the sale of liquor, the collection of this tax is impossible.
Despite the Liquor industry playing an enormous role in the economy, the health and safety of all South Africans should trump this importance. South Africans need to learn how to behave and control themselves when they are under the influence of alcohol.
All South Africans have a part to play, in combating the spread of the Covid-19. The government won’t win this battle alone, and they cannot be blamed for the ban on the sale of alcohol. Those flouting lockdown regulations, and many in those cases due to the consumption of alcohol, should be blamed. This is not the time to celebrate. Rather it is a time to unite and suppress the urge to consume alcohol to assist with the fight against Coronavirus.


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Anas Sarwar has announced today that he would aim to save Scotland’s high streets by giving a £75 prepaid card to every adult Scot as part of “the largest economic stimulus plan in the history of devolution”.
With a “radical” scheme to attract people to their local shops, the Scottish Labour leader wants to address the shift from high street shopping to online retail that was accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic.
It has also been been revealed that the opposition party’s manifesto will propose the ‘Great Scottish Staycation 2021’ with the offer of a ‘third night free’ Scottish government subsidy of holiday accommodation.
“The last year has been tough for us all. The pandemic has separated us from our friends, families and neighbours. But amid the hope of an end to the public health emergency, we must recognise that Scotland still faces a job crisis,” Sarwar said.
“Without urgent and ambitious action in towns across this country, hundreds of thousands of people face a future out of work – with empty town centres hollowing out once vibrant communities. But it doesn’t have to be that way – the people of Scotland deserve a brighter future, and we have it in our power to act.”
The prepaid card would be given to everyone aged 16 and over to spend in non-food businesses in Scotland. It would be time-limited, starting in June – or whenever it is safe to reopen retail – and last six months.
The money, which could not be used for online purchases, would be launched alongside a ‘local shop’ campaign encouraging people to support their local high streets. Unspent cash would be donated to food banks.
The policy is similar to the one put forward by the Resolution Foundation think tank last year, when Rishi Sunak was advised to give every household in Britain high street vouchers worth £500 per adult and £250 per child.
The think tank said it would be universal, activated over a fixed time period and easily deactivated if another Covid wave required sectors to be shut down. It was sold as a more targeted solution than cash payments to households.
The number of retail jobs on high streets dropped across most of Scotland between 2015 and 2018, and almost 13 shops closed every week over the last year. Non-food shops were forced to temporarily shut for long periods.
Scottish Labour’s ‘third night free’ policy would be accompanied by a ‘Scotland is open’ campaign to welcome visitors from across the British Isles in September, October and November 2021, the traditional off season.
It would contribute £50 per person to the cost of their third night’s accommodation, capped at £100 per booking, on off-peak days. The funding would aim to help a sector that supports 217,000 jobs and is worth £11bn annually.
The Scottish Labour leader said: “This is bold and ambitious thinking to aid our economic recovery and get Scotland back on track. This scheme would invite people from across the UK to visit every corner of our beautiful country – saving jobs and creating a lifelong love of Scotland.
“This is a chance to reward Scottish families for their sacrifices in the last year and help keep fellow Scots in work to support our national recovery. A vote for us at this election is for a parliament focused on solutions, not divisions – a stronger recovery for every community and every family.”
People across Scotland will vote on May 6th to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), who consider and pass legislation on health, education and transport in the devolved nation, as well as on some tax and social security issues.


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As 2021 comes to an end, marketers take stock and plan for 2022 in anticipation of higher marketing budgets.
HubSpot conducted a survey with over 1,000 global marketers and identified five main trends to watch in 2022:
- Short-form video
- Influencer marketing
- Audio content
- Social responsibility
- Inbound marketing
The pandemic has propelled short-form video at the forefront of digital marketing as a fun and convenient way to disseminate information. Short-form video will continue to rise in popularity in 2022.
As revealed by HubSpot, in 2021 influencer marketing has provided the highest return on investment (ROI) for marketers, and 2022 is shaping up to be an influencer marketing year as well. One trend we might notice is brands migrating towards micro-influencers as opposed to the most popular names because micro-influencers are likely to provide access to a smaller but more engaged audience.
Audio content is on the rise. Marketers have gotten comfortable with using podcasts and other forms of audio content to engage with their audiences on the go. One can listen to audio content while cooking, hiking, or engaging in other activities and avoid the screen fatigue that comes with video content consumption. 2022 will bring an even higher consumption of audio content.
To read the full report, visit https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/b2c-marketing-trends.


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BAY MINETTE, ALA. (AP) — A furniture manufacturer in Alabama is closing a production line and consolidating some positions, which will eliminate 185 jobs.
Standard Furniture Manufacturing Co. said this week it will stop making laminated case good at its plant in Bay Minette by the end of March.
The company also plans to move some home accessory and warehousing operations from Frisco City to Bay Minette.
The exact breakdown on the job reductions at each location was not immediately available.
Standard CEO Todd Evans said in a news release that the product line had not recovered from the Great Recession.
He said since then, the price of bedroom products has dropped sharply, putting the company's products in direct competition with various imported wooden bedrooms that have a "higher perceived value."


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Well over a year ago, I introduced Fools to an oil company with amazing possibilities. That company was Solazyme (NASDAQ:TVIA), a business that has developed a way of creating tailored oils that can be used as fuels, nutritional additives, beauty products, and for industrial chemicals.
The interesting thing is that Solazyme creates the oils by giving feedstock -- things like switch grass, sugar cane, or corn, for example -- to its patented microalgae that then produce the desired oil.
As I pointed out at the beginning of the year, though I was selling my shares of Solazyme, I was still impressed with the company's ability to innovate and compete in a competitive market. Because of its relatively small size and lack of profitability thus far, Solazyme has relied on partnerships and joint ventures with the likes of Unilever, Dow Chemical, Bunge, and ADM.
We can now add one more company to the list of those wishing to make friends with Solazyme and its patented algae: Mitsui & Co. The company, based out of Japan, has its hands in several different industries: steel, energy, and -- of course -- chemicals, to name a few. On Wednesday, the companies announced that they had entered into a $20 million, multi-year deal to have Solazyme develop oils that could be used as aviation lubricants, as well as additives to toiletry and household products.
Though not earth-shattering in its financial considerations for Solazyme, the deal is still important, as the company is trying to scale up production to eventually reach economical production of its tailored oils. The market obviously likes the move, too, as the stock is up as much as 7% today.
What's a Fool to do?
In the end, if investors are craving some exposure to a company that has the potential to do well by doing good for the environment, they may want to consider a small position in Solazyme.


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Credit freezes at the three major credit-reporting bureaus will be free across the U.S. starting on Sept. 21 after a new federal law takes effect.
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion must process requests to freeze and unfreeze credit reports without charge, making it easier for people to prevent outside parties from obtaining their credit histories.
Previously, the cost of such freezes varied state by state.
The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in May, eased a number of restrictions on banks imposed by the Dodd-Frank reform act of 2010 that followed the banking and mortgage loan crisis. However, it also implemented several notable consumer protections, including the free credit freezes and longer period of fraud watches.
Parents may now also request credit freezes for children 15 and under, also at no cost, something that previously varied from state to state, including whether parents had the right to ask at all.
Freezes may be placed online, by phone, or via regular mail. These links take you to the respective credit-freezing Web sites for Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
A credit freeze and lock are not the same, although they accomplish the same function. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion continue to have the right to charge for locks, which are typically advertised as being simpler and faster by allowing immediate account-based locking and unlocking of credit reports via an online account.
A freeze requires that consumers verify their identities, and may take a few days to go into effect. Credit-reporting bureaus must unfreeze accounts within an hour after consumers place a call, but it may take longer by mail and online.
People who apply for new credit cards, loans, and other transactions including apartment rental in some places, and for people trying to get their credit score, must lift their freezes and locks.
Security expert Brian Krebs noted that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau lists 46 different companies that collect consumer-financial information. But most consumer credit checks get processed through the big three, which is why this new law that goes into effect today focuses on them.
Krebs recommended also filing freezes with the fourth-largest credit-reporting bureau, Innovis, and one used by cellular companies, NCTUE, which is effectively operated by Equifax but isn’t subject to the regulation.
Krebs wrote that he generally recommends consumers freeze their credit reports because of the widespread availability of low-cost access to people’s credit history through websites that don’t validate the requestor’s identity and don’t even require a Social Security Number. With a freeze in place, he found that these sites no longer appeared to be able to pull his own credit file.
The law also extends a required period for fraud alerts, which were and remain free. Consumers can inform credit bureaus that they have been subject to fraud, and the bureaus must then inform any company requesting credit reports on those consumers—say, for opening a new credit-card account—that the company should attempt to contact the consumer to verify that someone is impersonating them.
Before Sept. 21, credit-reporting bureaus only needed to provide this alert to credit requesters for 90 days. That’s now been extended to 1 year. A previous requirement to inform requesters of a consumer having been the victim of identity theft remains at seven years.
Active-duty military service members will also receive free credit-reporting services from the big three firms, but this provision goes into effect in late May 2019.


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Fulton Street Mall business booming as tourists flock
Tourists are flocking from all over the United States and world to downtown Brooklyn's Fulton Street Mall, creating a business boom.
The mall is home to dozens of stores packed into a strip less than a mile long. According to the Fulton Street Mall Association, tourists from places such as Japan, England, Michigan and Georgia are among the 100,000 or so customers who prefer to spend their money in Brooklyn than pricey Madison Avenue.
"They know they can come to Fulton Street and have men's, women's and children's apparel," a retailer said of the shopping shift.
Tourists also flock to nearby Junior's, a Brooklyn restaurant renowned for its signature cheesecake. "Tourism's actually great for our business," said owner Allan Rosen. "It's always been great."
With more development bound for Brooklyn, including the relatively close Nets arena, the mall plans to launch a multimillion dollar renovation next year. The upgrade will include new lighting, bus shelters and more pedestrian-friendly areas.


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Woman Goes Viral After Finding Screw in Crumbl Cookie
Everyone’s had one of those experiences where you’re eating and discover something in your food that wasn’t supposed to be there. Whether it’s as innocent as a single French fry hiding in your tater tots, or something gross like a bug, it happens all the time.
Obviously, when it comes to foreign objects like hair, packaging, or other contaminants, you have a right to be upset about finding them in your meal. Especially if it’s something that would be hazardous to consume like glass, metal, or something else. That is when it is extremely important to contact the company responsible and sort things out so no other consumers run into the same issue.
This is what happened to a TikToker named Ashley when she allegedly found a metal screw that had been baked into her Crumbl Cookie. Fortunately, it seems like she found the screw before accidentally biting into it, but it is still shocking to find something like that in your food.
Ashley posted about the incident on TikTok last month and now has over 15 million views and nearly two million likes on her post. After seeing the issues, Crumble contacted her in order to resolve the issue. According to a comment Ashley left on the original post, Crumbl contacted their manufacturers and are giving this issue the proper attention in order to ensure nothing like this happens again.
It is reassuring to know that a company as big as Crumbl is taking a situation like this seriously. Unfortunately, some companies fail to do so. It is shocking how many times you’ll come across a viral video of someone sharing a bad experience with a restaurant or other business, and the company does nothing to resolve the issue. So, it’s nice to see this issue is being handled properly and promptly.


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Celebrity makeup artist Sheika Daley has spent years glamming up the likes of Zendaya, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland...
- Brad Pitt surprises Missouri State University grads with quarantine shout-out
- Emily Ratajkowski quarantine skincare routine includes snail mucin
- Alicia Keys given a manicure by husband while quarantine
Celebrity makeup artist Sheika Daley has spent years glamming up the likes of Zendaya, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and La La Anthony, so she knows a thing or two about beauty.
“We do everything from photoshoots to magazine covers to videos to red carpets,” Daley told Page Six Style of her superstar clients. “Being able to do something fresh and innovative for them is what I do. I never really feel like I’m at work; I just feel like I’m around family, because they’ve become that.”
Typically, the makeup artist would be deep in Met Gala prep right now; “It’s my favorite time of the year,” she said. But with the annual extravaganza postponed (along with pretty much everything else) amid the coronavirus pandemic, Daley is taking the opportunity to focus on both her skin and her stress levels while stuck at home — and urges others to follow suit.
“Skincare plays such an important role in makeup application,” she explained. “I love makeup, but I love skincare just as much. Maybe even more!”
Below, Daley — who recently partnered with Terres D’Afrique to promote de-stressing and self-care during this difficult time — shares her tips for keeping your skin and your sanity in top shape.


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Tencent, a major player in the global gaming industry, experienced a significant setback, losing approximately $43.5 billion in market value on Friday. This drastic decline followed the surprise announcement of new regulations by China aimed at curbing excessive gaming and spending.
The rules, presented by China’s National Press and Publication Administration, had a ripple effect on Tencent, NetEase, and Bilibili, impacting some of the largest online gaming-related companies in the world’s foremost online gaming market.
The unexpected regulatory move from China dealt a blow to Tencent, leading to a 12.4% drop in its Hong Kong-listed shares, closing at HK$274—the lowest since November 2022. NetEase, heavily reliant on domestic online gaming for 80% of its third-quarter revenue, experienced a more substantial plunge of 24.6%, wiping out about HK$115.1 billion ($14.7 billion) off its market capitalization. Bilibili, with 17.1% of its total third-quarter net revenue from Chinese domestic gaming, saw a 9.7% decline in its shares.
Analysts, including Brian Tycangco from Stansberry Research, expressed concern about the regulatory impact on existing business models. Tycangco highlighted the potential doubt on business viability, given that many models rely on incentives and rewards to attract users and build loyalty. He emphasized the need for better coordination between industry and regulators.
The new draft guidelines from China’s gaming regulator prohibit high-value transactions in virtual entities and daily login rewards. Additionally, restrictions on recharging limits with pop-up warnings for “irrational consumption behavior” aim to address concerns about excessive spending in the virtual gaming. Vigo Zhang, vice-president of Tencent Games, acknowledged the guidelines but noted that they do not fundamentally alter the industry’s business model and operations.
These regulations come at a time when the broader China technology industry is still recovering from a crackdown that began in late 2020. Tencent’s previous success in securing game licenses just over a year ago is now overshadowed by the latest measures, reflecting a broader effort to address concerns about the impact of online gaming on the well-being of the younger population.
In essence, the unfolding situation underscores the need for a delicate balance between industry innovation and regulatory oversight.


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Infineon Technologies AG and JD group (JD) have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at creating an efficient and secured smart IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem accelerating towards the vision of smart life.
According to the latest home appliance report from Futuresource Consulting, smart appliance shipments, specifically Wi-Fi connected laundry and refrigeration appliances, are anticipated to double yet again in volume terms by the end of 2018.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, will discuss the growing momentum across many Internet of Things (IoT) business verticals at its IoT industry analyst workshop.
A smart home gate capable of opening at the owner’s arrival or transforming your garage into a giant letterbox for online shopping deliveries, a real-time analysis and 3D printing solution to design and produce in-store custom made shoes within a couple of hours, a fully connected and sensorised fire truck capable of measuring resources,
In 2018, the ‘Internet of Things’ has rapidly moved from a theoretical concept to a tangible reality, with nearly 11 billion ‘things’ (not including phones and computers) now connected to the internet.
On Thursday, security flaws were revealed within the firmware of Samsung‘s SmartThings Hub. Cisco Talos issued a blog on multiple vulnerabilities. As Jeremy Cowan reports, this is not the only IoT security flaw exposed recently. No surprise then, that enterprises are getting twitchy about the security of their future IIoT services.
Smart metering is being rolled out in many advanced economies but this is one of those times when lessons may best be learned from an emerging economy, in this case India.
In this exclusive interview, Jeremy Cowan talks to John Cronin, executive chairman of CyanConnode, about the lessons of interoperability, security, simplicity and collaboration.
PassivSystems is to begin deploying its cloud-based energy management systems to homes on Britain’s Isles of Scilly over the summer of 2018.
Aricent, a design and engineering company, announced a new collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver an intelligent asset monitoring solution, which is part of the Aricent Internet of Things (IoT) Offerings portfolio.


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Inflation ticked up within a hair's breadth of the South Africa Reserve Bank’s upper limit in October, suggesting there could still be interest rate hikes down the line, even if monetary policymakers keep them on hold as expected this week.
Inflation ticked up within a hair’s breadth of the South Africa Reserve Bank’s upper limit in October, suggesting there could still be interest rate hikes down the line, even if monetary policymakers keep them on hold as expected this week.
Data from Statistics South Africa on Wednesday showed that consumer inflation increased to 5.9% year-on-year last month from 5.4% in September. The Reserve Bank aims to keep inflation within a 3% to 6% target range. Inflation floated above the 6% upper limit for 13 months, before finally falling back within the target range in June this year.
A higher inflation number was expected by analysts, but 5.9% is still higher than consensus forecasts.
On Thursday, the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee will announce its next interest rate decision. Prior to Wednesday’s inflation data, it was widely expected that the committee would opt to leave the cost of borrowing unchanged. And, despite higher-than-expected October inflation, there is still reason to believe that the Reserve Bank will hold off on hiking interest rates — which are already in restrictive territory.
Indeed, the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) expected that inflation would come in above consensus, forecasting a 5.8% yearly rate. Despite this, the BER also forecast that the Reserve Bank would keep interest rates unchanged, citing the fact that oil prices and the rand’s weakness no longer pose the same risk as they did earlier this year.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, is trending in line with the central bank’s 4.5% target, indicating a notable easing in underlying price pressures. According to the StatsSA data, core inflation came in at 4.4% year-on-year in October.
That said, the Reserve Bank will probably be watching developments in the United States closely. Though the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) opted to hold interest rates for a second consecutive time on 1 November, minutes from that meeting revealed continued hawkishness on the Fed’s part.
Released last night, the minutes noted that inflation remained well above the committee’s 2% longer-run objective “and that elevated inflation was continuing to harm businesses and households, particularly low-income households”.
In her analysis of the FOMC minutes, Investec chief economist Annabel Bishop noted that the committee is looking to mollify expectations of imminent interest rate cuts.
“Market expectations for interest rate cuts next year have been building, and the Fed worries this will positively impact consumers and businesses by causing spending and demand to rise, and so derail its efforts to lower inflation,” Bishop wrote in a research note published on Wednesday morning.
The FOMC is scheduled to deliver its next interest rate decision on 13 December. According to Bishop, there are still expectations of no further rate hikes this year or next.


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PORTAL - On the afternoon of June 03, at Binh Duong Administrative Center, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha - Member of Provincial Standing Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC) received and worked with the Korean International Trade Association (KITA) delegation and COEX Company led by Mr. Lee Dong Ki - Chairman and CEO of COEX Company.
At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the PPC Nguyen Loc Ha briefly informed the delegation about Binh Duong's socio-economic development and investment attraction. Up to now, Korea is currently ranked 5th among 65 countries and territories investing in Binh Duong with 761 projects and a total investment capital of 3 billion 257 million USD. The main fields of investment are ancillary products for the automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food processing industries, industrial production of textile and footwear products, etc. Some enterprises with large investment capital such as: Kolon Group, Kyung Bang Vietnam Company, Kumho Tire Vietnam Company, DCT Partners Vietnam, Lotte Vietnam Trading Center, etc.
Vice Chairman of the PPC Nguyen Loc Ha receives Mr. Lee Dong Ki - Chairman and CEO of COEX
In addition to implementing strategies for sustainable socio-economic development, Binh Duong also aims to build a smart city and an innovative region. Vice Chairman of the PPC acknowledged and thanked the contributions of Korean enterprises as well as associations to the development achievements of Binh Duong over the past time.
Vice Chairman of the PPC Nguyen Loc Ha presents a souvenir to Mr. Lee Dong Ki
Talking to provincial leaders, Mr. Lee Dong Ki said that in March 2021, KITA and COEX signed a contract with Becamex IDC Corp on the operation of the World Trade Center Binh Duong New City (WTC Binh Duong). WTC Binh Duong is the largest trade and exhibition center in Vietnam, with a total floor area of 22,000 m², including 11,679 m² of indoor exhibition space and 7,935 m² of outdoor exhibition space; plays an important role as an important infrastructure connecting business, culture and tourism between Korea and Vietnam, as well as a trade bridge, connecting Korean enterprises with Binh Duong in particular and Vietnam in general.
COEX will send management personnel with extensive practical experience in areas such as exhibition organization and infrastructure operation to Vietnam. These human resources will jointly manage from the overall planning of activities to the promotion strategy for WTC Binh Duong. In the near future, KITA and COEX plan to enhance the competitiveness of this venue, such as expanding exhibition content, organizing exhibitions in combination with online technologies.
Mr. Lee Dong Ki presents a souvenir to Vice Chairman of the PPC Nguyen Loc Ha
Mr. Lee Dong Ki hopes to continue to receive the attention and support from the Binh Duong provincial government so that WTC Binh Duong has more meaningful exhibition activities, contributing to the overall socio-economic development of the province.
Delegates take a souvenir photo
Reported by Doan Trang- Translated by Thanh Tam


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If you are looking for a convenient way to store items in your home, Amazon customers recommend this versatile storage shelf. The best part? It is now sold in Amazon stores.
West Palm Beach, Florida-You can't see it, but keeping up with the holidays and the needs of the community in this warehouse has always been a challenge.
"Our goal is just to ensure that ever
For more than 60 years, Roth's Fresh Markets in Salem has been a local institution in Mid Valley.
This week, the company announced that it was acquired by the Canadian company Pattison Food G
Industry experts say that in-store deli food safety standards that may have been sufficient in the past will not be able to meet the needs of retailers, regulators and consumers in 2021.
We've all browsed through those immaculate-looking lifestyle blogs dedicated to being organized in complete awe (perhaps just a little envious).
Recent organizational trends? Family coffee an
Penguins urgently recalled Riikola, Domingue; Peterson, Ruweidell
Gingerski: It’s time to respect Tristan Jari as the first goalkeeper
Penguin canceled the exercise; Crosby's status,
Hai Robotics Co. Ltd, a global warehouse automation supplier, has launched three new products, which the company claims can help solve bottlenecks in the internal logistics field.
The shelf talker is a time-tested and authentic way to draw the customer's attention directly to the product when making a purchase. These shelf dialogs are ideal for retail shelves. Users can cust


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Researchers say that Google is ‘cashing in’ by offering spy apps that help stalkers keep track of a victim via their smartphone. According to a report in The Times, there are more than 3,000 spy apps in Google’s Play Store with subscriptions of up to £30 a month for installing the technology on a target […]
About Nick Duddy
Search and Mobile enthusiast, like to tinker in apps, machine learning, big data and currently Python.
Entries by Nick Duddy
The growing popularity of mobile banking apps has been highlighted with news that more consumers will use their apps than will use a computer for banking purposes as early as 2019. According to industry analyst CACI, 22 million people last year managed their current account from their phone. And it is now predicted that 35 […]
A new app which enables air ambulance services to see patients before arriving to treat them is currently under trial. The GoodSam app is being put through its spaces in two areas in England with the app sending a link to whoever called 999 on a mobile phone to open live streaming. The images will […]
Android smartphone users are being warned about a sophisticated malware strain that enables hackers to spy on just about any activity on a user’s phone. The malware steals pictures, contacts, messages, call logs as well as browser data. The strain is also capable of making audio recordings of calls being made and dial numbers. The […]
Internet security firm Kaspersky is warning that nearly four million smartphone apps are leaking sensitive data about the app’s user. The data being lost includes phone numbers and email addresses which is being transmitted unencrypted over the HTTP protocol. This was, researchers say, instead of using HTTPS, a more secure way for data communication. The […]
Google has revealed that it has begun the global roll-out of a new Chat messaging service which they have designed to replace text messaging on Android phones. The firm has also revealed that it is pausing development of its Allo app. The Chat messaging service will have features including group text, read receipts and videos, […]
Facebook has unveiled a number of changes to its terms of service, including those that cover using its apps, in a bid to make its data policies clearer. The firm also urges users to check regularly for updates. The social network has enjoyed a torrid time in recent weeks with revelations that huge numbers of […]
Three Facebook Messenger app users have launched a lawsuit against the online giant over privacy concerns. They claim that the social network violated their privacy by compiling phone call logs and their text messages. The lawsuit follows Facebook’s acknowledgement that it has been accessing text and call logs from Android phones since 2015. The firm […]
Google has unveiled a raft of new augmented reality apps and games for Android phones. The tech giant has unveiled more than 60 ARCore apps that are now available in its Play Store. ARCore is the platform that enables app developers to create augmented reality experiences for Android smartphones. Essentially, by using the phone’s camera, […]
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“There is a real demand for discovering new talent from the online space,” says Garaude, Reed MIDEM’s television division director, explaining the move. One thousand of the 4,000 buyers at MIPTV this year will be acquiring for digital platforms, she adds.
The event, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, will be held on April 9-10 and see original digital video programming presented to buyers, advertisers, strategists, agencies and distributors.
Founding partners include YouTube, which will present a showcase of channels and talent; channel operator Maker Studios, whose executive chairman Ynon Kreiz will deliver a keynote; France-based platform Dailymotion and youth brand Vice Media.
Michael Stevens, creator of YouTube channel group VSauce, will present the event, while US restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill and veteran actor Ray Wise (Twin Peaks) will present a session on their Farmed and Dangerous web satire (pictured), which launched on Hulu in February.
“The new MIP Digital Fronts initiative will offer an excellent global platform for YouTube creators, digital studios and traditional television and film studios to promote their web video talent and programming,” said YouTube’s director of content partnerships, EMEA Ben McOwen-Wilson in December.
“MIPTV has created an important international platform for online video and the new event offers a forum for Maker creators to showcase their talents on a global scale and connect with the digital entertainment community,” Maker’s Kreiz, formerly CEO of Endemol, tells TBI.
Garaude says inspiration for the vent came from digital advertising trade body IAB-organised Digital Content NewFronts, the digital equivalent of the US TV Upfronts.
The precursor to the current form of the event began in 2008 when ad firm DigitasLBi decided an event was needed to bring digital content makers together with advertisers. In a bid to widen the appeal of the event, it asked the IAB to take over the running of the event ahead of the 2013 NewFronts.
YouTube also held an Upfront week in the UK last year. Clearly, digital video markets are becoming increasingly important to the online content ecosystem because they can “create and move a market where money moves”, according to IAB’s SVP Sherill Mane. “That’s what advertisers care about.”
But why should traditional TV companies care? Because, Mane argues, the converging worlds of television and digital mean “you cannot stop at TV” anymore.


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All you hear on the news is that Greece is being killed by Draconian austerity measure forced on them by Germany and other financiers of Greece’s enormous debt.
Actually, as far as actual cuts in spending are concerned this drastic, crippling austerity worthy of riots is largely a myth. See the chart below from the Forbes Magazine article entitled, Paul Krugman and the European Austerity Myth by Paul Mitchell (May 8, 2012).
Yes, only Greece has actually cut spending since 2008 and that was by a total of less than 3%.
This is one of my worst pet peeves, the claim that reducing the rate of spending increases constitutes a spending cut. A real spending cut is spending less than the previous year, but that is not what is going on for the most part. I blame the media’s laziness and bent for riveting hysteria for the nearly universal propagation of this “spending cut” myth.
What austerity actually exists in Europe is the raising of taxes to help close the deficit. Most European countries like Greece, France and Italy have raised taxes on very high income earners and raised the VAT rates.
With the recession now going on in Europe, one that will be deeper than expected, you can see two things.
1) Growth in government debt-dependent spending during the early and mid 2000s was completely out of control and that was what was formerly fueling growth. You can see that from the chart and from the fact that in the UK for example, government spending is 49% of the entire UK economy; call it half. Wow! Excess dependence on government is a topic I should discuss in another post.
2) Raising taxes on the rich does not help the deficit. Despite tax increases on the wealthy, tax collections in Europe continue to decline, even with concurrent increases in VATs. Why? One reason is that the wealthy have the ability to change their spending behavior and circumstances to avoid much of the tax increase. Another is that the wealthy are a very small part of the population. Another is that taxes reduce the amount available to spend and dampening consumer spending slows the ecoomy, leading to less income and less tax revenue. A 4th is that when you raise the VAT, a form of sales tax, you make goods more expensive at the same time people have less income. Voila – even less spending. I hope the US is paying attention but I fear not.
In any case, this Greek tragedy has some time left to run and the way the play unfolds will continue to affect US markets.


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Ulta Beauty is expanding its consumer reach by opening a shop-within-a-shop in Target stores, a more permanent take on pop-up merchandising that retailers have adopted in recent years and a brick-and-mortar foray in an increasingly digital industry.
Calling it a strategic, long-term partnership “set to redefine beauty experiences,” the two retailers said the installations will first appear in more than 100 Target stores early next year. Target is clearing about 1,000 square feet for the Ulta counters in each store that will be “prominently located” next to the big-box retailer’s beauty section.
The concept, Ulta Beauty at Target, will give the discounter’s customers access to more than 40 well-known and emerging beauty brands that are not available at the Minneapolis-based retailer’s stores or online now. Neither company named which brands would be on shelves.
“In true Ulta Beauty fashion, we plan to inspire engagement through discovery and newness, so our goal is to offer a rotational assortment,” Ulta Beauty spokeswoman Eileen Ziesemer said in an email.
The decision to expand into Target stores gives Ulta another outlet for cosmetic, hair care and skin care guidance and catapults it into the “essential” retail category that allowed Target stores to stay open during pandemic-induced quarantines while Ulta stores were forced to close.
Ulta is following moves its larger competitor Sephora took with J.C. Penney beginning in 2006. Sephora has more than 500 locations in Penney stores and has long touted its partnership as a plus for sales. Sephora is owned by luxury brand company LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Shops-within-shops have a long history initially tied to manufacturers turning to retail stores as a means for marketing everything from candy to cell phones. The department-store segment widely popularized the concept of a store within a store decades ago by introducing sections with designer brands such as Ralph Lauren, DKNY and Armani into their stores.
As the retail industry continues to evolve with the unprecedented growth in e-commerce shopping and purchase alternatives that include home delivery, curbside pickup and buying online, pick up in store, retailers are struggling with drumming up innovative ways to heighten the shopping “experience” and bring foot traffic back.
In recent years, retailers such as Macy’s and Nordstrom have introduced other formats that have had varying degrees of success. Macy’s efforts with Story, for example, a curated store-in-store boutique concept that changed periodically to create a new “narrative” through merchandise has largely gone away since the department-store retailer said it was closing nearly half of them in February.
Retailers are also latching on to the millennial trend of purchasing slightly used apparel and accessories. Since the beginning of the year, a handful of retailers that include Nordstrom, Macy’s and J.C. Penney as well as Walmart, Gap and Madewell have hooked up with second-hand apparel site ThredUp to sell merchandise in their stores as well as online.
However they go about creating these partnerships, the goals are always the same for both sides: Magnify market share and brand awareness and develop new customer bases.
Ulta is knocking on the same doors. The Target partnership “builds upon our position as the beauty industry leader to further our omnichannel strategy and unlock new, seamless shopping opportunities,” Ziesemer said.
“We believe this speaks to two segments of guests — deepen our loyalty with existing Ulta Beauty guests and introduce new guests to our brand and experiences,” she added.
Target did not respond to a request for a comment, but Ziesemer sees the partnership as an extension of the retailer’s growing beauty business, she said.
If Ulta makes it into all of Target’s 1,900 stores, it will swell the Bolingbrook, Illinois-based cosmetic chain’s reach to a total of more than 3,000 physical stores nationwide. At the same time, the online influence through Target.com and its diverse customer base also will give Ulta a market share range it might never have been able to achieve on its own.
At the same time, the wider physical store footprint reinforces Ulta CEO Mary Dillon’s position on the importance of a strong brick-and-mortar presence, something she has plugged in recent conference calls and webinars since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though her stores were not open to customers, she was able to keep business alive by quickly stepping up online shopping and curbside pickup channels. Now she’s taking it a step further by insuring there will be some in-store shopping power available if the COVID-19 pandemic leads to another round of quarantines or mass shopping center and mall closings.
“Ulta Beauty at Target reflects further evolution in our omnichannel strategy, rooted in unlocking the potential of our physical and digital footprints, creating more seamless shopping opportunities for our loyal guests and continuing to lead the beauty industry,” Dillon said in a statement.
“More than ever before, now is the time for innovation in retail,” she added.


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I’m a huge fan of Marilyn Monroe, and I have been since I was a teenage girl, so you’d think that the fact I’m also a big fan of spas would mean that the news of a huge new themed Marilyn Monroe spa development in America would fill me with excitement and a desire to hop on over to Orlando to see it for myself?
Well, no, not really.
I can’t see any real common ground between Marilyn, who died 50 years ago this year, and a spa franchise. She was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful film stars we’ve ever seen, and so yes, I suppose you could link the idea of ‘beauty’ to one of the world’s most beautiful icons, but that’s surely where it stops?
The spas, financed by the ex-president of Worldwide Operations for Disney Parks and Resorts along with Niki Bryan Spa Management, is going to be a mega-bucks franchise I can imagine. No expense will be spared in creating the range of spas, salons and shops, all approved by the Authentic Brands Group who hold IP rights to Marilyn’s image. Of course, there will also be an associated beauty range to purchase online.
They’ve said that creating the brand is a natural fit with the spa industry because of Marilyn’s ‘allure and glamour’ – but to me, her allure and glamour are actually a very good reason NOT to build a multi-million dollar industry around her image. Even Chanel, who could have capitalised many times over on their association with Marilyn after she confessed to not wearing anything in bed other than Chanel No. 5 have resisted the urge to name a perfume after the star, or brand a treatment range with her image.
The first spa is due to open its doors to the public late in 2012, and according to the brand’s mission statement, they will ‘honour the memory of Marilyn Monroe’. We’ll just have to wait and see whether they can manage to do just that; or whether a spa in Florida just turns into another tacky theme park with facials.
What do you think? Tacky…or genius?